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Yik Wo International to appoint professional parties to proceed with the preparation of application for the possible transfer of listing

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 23 February 2023 – Yik Wo International Holdings Limited (HKEx stock code: 8659, the “Group” or “Yik Wo”) is pleased to announce that the Board has appointed professional parties to proceed with the preparation of application for the possible transfer of listing from GEM to the Main Board of the Stock Exchange.

Listed on the GEM in 2020, the Group engages in the design and development, manufacturing and sales of disposable plastic food storage containers. As at 13 December 2020, the Board appointed a financial advisor to evaluate the possibility of transferring the listing from GEM to the Main Board; As at 23 February 2023, the Board has appointed professional parties to proceed with the preparation of application for such transfer, no formal application has been made to the Stock Exchange at the date of the announcement.

Mr. Xu Youjiang, Chairman and Executive Director of the Group, remarked, “Yik Wo has been listed on GEM for over two years. Thanks to the effort made by the team, the Group has successfully expanded its business and size. We evaluate the possibility of transferring the listing, hoping to bring better returns to our shareholders. The Group will make further announcements in due course to ensure shareholders and potential investors are informed of the progress of the matter.”

Hashtag: #YikWo

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Yik Wo International Holdings Limited

Yik Wo International Holdings Limited, listed on GEM in 2020, engages in the design and development, manufacturing and sales of disposable plastic food storage containers, committed to providing reliable and high-standard products to customers. According to the F&S Report, the Group was the fourth largest disposable plastic food storage container company in the PRC with a market share of 2.2% in 2019 in terms of sales. The Group offers over 400 models of products, mainly sold under our “JAZZIT” brand, with various sizes, designs and shapes, which are primarily sold to customers in the PRC with a small part in overseas countries. In 2022, the Group completed the acquisition to expand its business scope into the film and e-commerce industry.

Visit Hong Kong’s Hottest Creative and Cultural Landmark – The Mills

Discover CHAT’s First-ever Comprehensive Central Asian Textile Art Show during Hong Kong Arts Month

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 23 February 2023 – The Mills is a landmark revitalisation project that transformed the Nan Fung Group’s former textile mills into a creative and cultural destination for innovation, arts, culture, experiential learning, and retail. First announced in 2014 on the Group’s 60th Anniversary, the revitalisation project was completed in 2018 and opened in the same year, and has since presented a large variety of arts and community events to inspire visitors and promote cultural vitality in Hong Kong. These, together with its wide selection of retail and dining outlets and a pet-friendly approach, have helped The Mills reach its present position as one of Hong Kong’s most vibrant, leisure and creative hubs for local culture lovers, hoping to inspire visitors from all walks of life to keep pace with the times.

DSC_9132_TheMills.jpg

To coincide with Hong Kong Arts Month in March, CHAT (Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile), one of the three pillars of The Mills, is presenting an exquisite art exhibition titled Clouds, Power, and Ornament – Roving Central Asia” from February 25 to May 21, 2023. This is the first-ever thematic exhibition on Central Asian textile art in the Greater China region. It invites overseas visitors and interested locals to explore the fascinating and unique cultures of Central Asia through textile traditions, handcraft and contemporary art, and dive into how textiles serve as a medium for overcoming diversity and narrating socio-political landscapes.

Exploring Central Asia Through Textiles and Handicrafts During Hong Kong Arts Month in March

As an arts centre with a unique textile heritage, CHAT encourages artists to explore contemporary art, design, and history through textiles, and unveil the captivating cultural stories behind the yarns. Central Asia is home to many culturally diverse and vibrant countries with fascinating socio-political histories. Traditional textile materials and techniques, such as ikat, felt, suzani, syrmak, together with their astonishing patterns, designs and matching ornaments all contribute to the uniquely distinctive textile culture of Central Asia. Age-old textile practices also permeate the many political economies and serve as mediums for social life within the region.

Co-curated by CHAT’s Wang Weiwei and other guest curators, the exhibition is divided into two main parts and features works by 26 art and cultural creators from Central Asia, presenting how artists and designers use textiles as a medium for cultural preservation, response, and cohesion.

The first part, “Clouds and Power”, co-curated by Slavs and Tatars and You Mi, uses traditional ikat, a woven textile characterised by its elaborate and ‘blurred’ patterns, as a metaphor to present the views and intricacies of the region’s political and social landscape.

The second part “Suture: Reimagining Ornaments” is curated by Alexandra Tsay and focuses on traditional Central Asian ornamentation, exploring it as a language that both reflects and shapes politics, society, and culture. Its attention to female artists also reveals important powers that have been concealed by mainstream narratives. At the exhibition, visitors can expect a diverse array of works, from a commissioned work in silk and felt adorned with traditional ornaments and motifs from Hong Kong and Kazakhstan, by Berlin-based Kazakh artist Gulnur Mukazhanova, to Medina Bazargali & Kokonja‘s experimental juxtaposition of nomadic themes and yurts with VJ culture in contemporary Almaty, and more.

To provide a more comprehensive understanding of Central Asian Culture, CHAT has also prepared some electrifying performances and special artist-led workshops and talks for visitors to experience and be inspired. CHAT will also run a booth at Art Basel Hong Kong (as one of its Cultural Partners) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 21 to 25 March, to engage with visitors through talks and creative activities.

The Mills as the Latest Cultural Landmark: Inheriting History and Developing Cultural Power

In the 1950s and 1960s, Nan Fung Textiles was not only one of the most prolific yarn manufacturers in Hong Kong, but also a major denim supplier in Southeast Asia, bearing witness to the heyday of Hong Kong’s textile industry. Following the revitalisation of the factories, The Mills has retained and upcycled some of the original architectural features and relics from the former textile mills, such as the factory’s signature red signage, the Golden Cup Gate at the entrance, and textile facilities of the past, to pay homage to the Group’s heritage over the last half-century. The revitalisation project merged the three old textile mills into an open interior, connected by glass bridges, enabling visitors to freely explore different spaces.

Apart from CHAT, The Mills is also composed of The Mills Fabrica and The Mills Shopfloor. The Mills Fabrica is an incubator for start-ups and entrepreneurs that promote sustainable innovation in techstyle (technology and lifestyle) and agrifood tech. Last year, it extended its vision by revamping Fabrica X into an innovative concept store, pioneering a new impact retail experience that combines retail, educational, and experiential elements to continue driving pursuits in sustainability. The Mills Shopfloor is a hub for hands-on, interactive learning and experiential shopping, offering a platform for brands to showcase their products, while allowing visitors to learn about their brand and product stories. CHAT is the first arts centre of its kind in Hong Kong, which organises a wide variety of textile-related arts and culture exhibitions and co-learning programmes to connect communities and inspire the exchange of thoughts and ideas.

In recent years, The Mills has been actively collaborating with international brands and renowned artists from various sectors to promote innovative arts, cultural experiences, and sustainability. During Halloween in 2021, for example, The Mills presented the “Immersive Journey of Junji Ito”, simulating scenes drawn from the creations of one of the world’s most famous horror mangakas, to immerse visitors in a world of imagination and horror aesthetics.

In 2022, The Mills teamed up with the famous British inflatable design group Designs in Air to transform the property into a magical marine wonderland, featuring spooky inflatable monsters and their terrifying tentacles, which astonished visitors while raising awareness towards historic conservation in Hong Kong.

Last Christmas, The Mills drew on its roots in textiles and fashion to collaborate with the international fashion brand agnès b. and jointly crafted “The Dancing Cloak”. Weaving together recycled clothes and fabrics in the artwork, the festive décor and exhibition were premised on sustainability, with hopes of sparking green inspirations, promoting environmental awareness, while also echoing the heritage of The Mills.

In addition to diverse happenings, exhibitions, and experiences, The Mills itself is a work of art with many photogenic spots worth exploring. Welcoming visitors at the Pak Tin Par Lane entrance is a monolithic portrait, Unsung Hero, created by Portuguese artist Alexandre Farto as a tribute to former textile factory workers; walk along Pak Tin Par Lane to find hand-painted murals, created by six Hong Kong artists who depicted their vivid imaginations of The Mills‘ past, present, and future in different styles. The Mills is also a site that evokes nostalgia—even the old staircase and the handcrafted, restored mosaic signage on the building’s exterior are picture-worthy. Get set for your visit to The Mills and enjoy immersive, diverse lifestyle and cultural experiences in the city’s go-to creative and cultural hub.

Interested visitors can also join a guided tour to discover how the former Nan Fung cotton-spinning factories were revitalised and reimagined into a creative cultural landmark that has transformed Tsuen Wan’s textile past into a Techstyle future. The guided tour also covers the historical attractions of The Mills and CHAT’s “Welcome to the Spinning Factory” exhibition. The tours are available every Saturday and Sunday, with multiple timeslots per day.

The Mills provides a shuttle bus service to and from Tsuen Wan MTR Station, and a free shuttle bus service from West Kowloon on designated days in late March. Further details will be announced soon.

Hashtag: #TheMills #CHAT

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Nan Fung Group

Nan Fung Group is one of the largest privately held conglomerates in Hong Kong with global interests in real estate development and investment. It holds a well-diversified and substantial financial investment portfolio. The Group was founded in 1954 and has a track record spanning over 50 years with over 165 projects including residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. The Group also strategically focuses on first-tier cities in mainland China and recognises attractive opportunities for development and investment overseas, including New York and London.

In recent years, the Group has expanded its investment focus to ICE (Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship), exemplified by its signature project, The Mills, a revitalisation of its legacy yarn factories into a hub promoting techstyle (the intersection of technology and style) and an integrated destination housing an experiential shopfloor, startup incubator and interactive gallery. The Group has also made significant progress in investments related to life sciences in the US via Pivotal; and in mainland China via an affiliate, New Frontier, which focuses on healthcare, elderly care, education, and new technology.

About The Mills

Opened in late 2018, The Mills is Nan Fung Group’s landmark revitalisation project which transformed its former textile factories into a new destination for heritage and innovation. A story of reinvention, The Mills is about preserving the best of Hong Kong’s past and combining it with the future to offer a new platform for inspiration and creativity. The Mills represents the movement ‘from textile to techstyle’, symbolising the transition from its heritage to innovation, from old to new.

The Mills is composed of three pillars:

Fabrica – A go-to solutions platform accelerating techstyle and agrifood tech innovations for sustainability

Shopfloor – A landmark for experiential retail, and an expression of Hong Kong’s evolving character

CHAT (Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile) – A non-profit arts centre interweaving textile arts, history, and design

SEWIT, the Group’s sustainable framework established in 2021, pays homage to both the shared heritage and environment. Five Pillars of SEWIT – Social Cohesion, Environment, Wellness, Innovation and Technology, form a patchwork planet and seedling that embed our commitment to sustainable growth in people, communities, and the environment. The three pillars of The Mills – Fabrica, Shopfloor and Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (CHAT), interweave different innovative cultural experiences by adding green, pet-friendly, and community mindfulness elements.

About CHAT

CHAT (Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile) is a community museum located on the 2/F of The Mills, the former cotton-spinning mills of Nan Fung Textiles in Tsuen Wan. Through its multifaceted curated programmes, which include exhibitions and co-learning programmes, CHAT aims to be an art centre that weaves creative experiences for all, inviting visitors to experience the spirit of the innovative legacy of Hong Kong’s textile industry and engage in new dialogues and inspirational journeys that interweave contemporary art, design and heritage.

Woman’s Body Discovered Four Days After Jumping into River

Rescue Volunteer for People
The emergency after rescuing the body (photo: Rescue Volunteer for People)

The body of a woman who jumped from a bridge into the Ngum River was recovered on Thursday after a four-day search in Vientiane’s Pak Ngum district.

Salmon partners with SM Store, the largest retailer in the Philippines

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach – 23 February 2023 – Salmon, a consumer lending-first fintech start-up, today announces its partnership with the largest retailer in the Philippines, SM Store. From now on customers of SM Store will have the opportunity to buy their products using the Salmon point-of-sale service giving them access to installment financing as well as greater freedom and flexibility.

With its first-rate service and fast loan approval process, Salmon will allow customers to enjoy shopping without long approval processed and the hassle of needless paperwork. Partnership with SM Store adds on to the merchant network of Salmon throughout the Philippines and aims at satisfying the significant pent-up demand for consumer lending with Filipino customers.

Raffy Montemayor, Co-founder of Salmon said – “Partnering with SM Store, a true leader in the world of retail in the Philippines, will deliver considerable mutual benefits both to SM Store and Salmon. SM Store attracts a large number of Filipinos looking for a great shopping experience, and Salmon will now be there to make this experience better and even more affordable. Continuing to follow our business ethos, we are expanding alongside some of the most marquee names in retail so that finance rather than an obstacle to shopping will come to aid of ordinary shoppers with our quick installment loans. We are firmly convinced that using financial products, obtaining loans, paying bills and all other time-consuming financial routine will eventually be seamlessly integrated into our daily lives, at Salmon we will aim to make this vision a reality.”
Hashtag: #Salmon



The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Salmon

Salmon is a brand under FHL Financing Company Inc. Based in the Philippines, it was founded in October 2022 by banking and fintech veterans Pavel Fedorov, George Chesakov, and Raffy Montemayor and today has more than 120 professionals in its Manila office. Salmon develops financial products with a focus on innovation, flexibility and value add for clients. Starting with point-of-sale (POS) lending, the company intends to expand its range of financial services to cover all the daily needs of the client in the Philippines and beyond.
“Salmon” is a brand owned by FHL Financing Company, Inc., a licensed financing company regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission with Certificate of Authority
No. F-22-0038-29 and Company Registration No. 2022100071291-07. Read the terms& conditions and the relevant disclosures before availing of any loan product or service.

SM Store

SM Store is the Philippines’ largest department store chain with several branches nationwide. We offer a great selection of menswear, womenswear, children’s wear, all kinds of beauty products, and things for the home. You can also find stationery, electronic gadgets, snacks, toys, hardware, and fun Philippine souvenirs here.

Luang Prabang Hydropower Project Construction to Wrap up by 2030

Luang Prabang Hydropower Project Construction to Wrap up by 2030
Luang Prabang dam under construction (photo: Energy and Mines news)

According to a recent conference held by the Ministry of Energy and Mines, the construction of the Luang Prabang hydropower project is expected to be completed by 2030, ten years after its inception in 2020.

Delta Global Bets on Hong Kong to Grow Regional Business on the Back of E-Commerce Boom

The trusted leader in luxury and sustainable luxury packaging solutions doubles down on Hong Kong as its Asia-Pacific hub and plans regional expansion after robust revenue growth.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 23 February 2023 – Delta Global, the trusted leader in sustainable luxury packaging solutions plans continued expansion in Asia-Pacific on the back of a booming international luxury retail e-commerce market. The UK-based company, which recorded a 55% growth in revenue in the last fiscal year that ended September 30, 2022, will drive its regional expansion efforts from Hong Kong. With Hong Kong’s historically favourable business environment and recent forward-thinking policy announcements from The Hong Kong 2023-24 Budget, the city is the perfect base for Delta Global to grow its footprint and expand in Mainland China, SEA and Australia.

The move comes as direct-to-consumer (D2C) e-commerce channels drive a wave of growth in international retail. According to KPMG, the market grew by 26% in 2020 and 16% in 2021 with D2C channels alone reporting growth of 45% in 2020. Estimates suggest the overall market value neared US$5.5 trillion in 2022. Among the many brands that have benefited from this post-pandemic e-commerce boom are Net-A-Porter and MatchesFashion, both of which rely on Delta Global for stylish and sophisticated boxes and bags that are 100% recyclable and use FSC-certified materials.

Charting the sustainable future of the luxury packaging industry

Driven by a mission to merge luxury, sustainability and innovation through environmentally-friendly packaging solutions and AI-driven supply chain management that enable brands to reduce their carbon footprint, Delta Global is working to change the way businesses and consumers interact with premium retail products. With luxury clients that span the world’s leading retailers and fashion brands – including Harvey Nichols, ZIMMERMANN, TOM FORD, JW Anderson, Ted Baker, Anya Hindmarch, Cefinn and Fortnum & Mason – it offers cutting-edge design and innovation from its in-house creative studio, as well as in-house manufacturing and fully integrated global distribution services.

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, the company posted revenue growth of 55% with major client wins including ZIMMERMANN, CAMILLA AND MARC, ARNE Clothing and more.

Beyond sustainable packaging, one unique service that has hit a high note with luxury retail clients is the Delta Global Intelligence Platform. This proprietary supply chain management tool enables clients to harness the benefits of data processing and machine learning technologies, addressing their pain points in supply chain management and allowing them to make informed decisions that save valuable time and resources. At the same time, it allows Delta Global to work towards its ultimate goal of producing less packaging in a more sustainable way.

The unique online portal provides access to detailed stock positions at all locations, fully customisable forecasting and planning tools, as well as product reporting and comparison services. Its built-in AI technology learns and understands data and patterns in stock used to improve just-in-time logistics, preventing issues involving undersupply and oversupply to create a more sustainable supply chain and tangible results in reducing a company’s carbon footprint.

“With a clear goal to be the world leader in sustainable luxury packaging, sustainability is at the root of everything we do. Our mission is to produce beautiful products that have as little impact on the environment as possible. We help to guide our clients through every step of the journey from sourcing sustainable materials and innovating in packaging structure to meeting the highest standards of verified innovation and environmental performance – ultimately producing less packaging for more clients,” said Robert Lockyer, Founder and Chief Client Officer of Delta Global.

Delta Global’s approach to social responsibility enables its clients to actively reduce their carbon footprint and implement best sustainable practices, two key factors that are increasingly driving sales among today’s luxury consumers. According to KPMG, global consumers are placing less importance on luxury or brand names and more on what a brand stands for, what its impact level is and how the brand gives back. In Mainland China and Hong Kong, specifically, corporate responsibility was the second most important factor in potentially changing consumers’ purchasing habits and mentality with 30% of surveyed consumers aged 18 to 24 citing it as a key consideration when making luxury purchases.

Seizing opportunity in the thriving Asia-Pacific region

According to Straits Research, the global luxury packaging market was valued at US$19.4 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 5% in 2022-2030 to reach US$30.5 billion by 2030. As the demand for luxury brands increases in places like China and Korea through channels such as travel retail and e-commerce, the packaging industries for premium brands are likewise anticipated to boom. Other trends driving growth include greater environmental awareness and demand for personalised packaging solutions among consumers, especially the Gen Z and Millennial generations.

With this in mind, Delta Global intends to expand its footprint in Asia, including Hong Kong, Mainland China and Australia, in response to growing retailer needs. Its integrated and collaborative approach to design, manufacturing and distribution ensures that each client benefits from a global partnership that allows them control over the decisions that matter to them.

“We are delighted to learn from The Hong Kong 2023-24 Budget that the government is placing greater emphasis on promoting green tech development. This will undoubtedly arouse corporate and public awareness around sustainable business practices, which perfectly aligns with our vision and mission,” said Robert Lockyer, Founder and Chief Client Officer of Delta Global. “As Hong Kong charts a new path to growth and launches multiple measures to attract international enterprises and talent, there is no better time for us to double down on our efforts in Hong Kong and leverage its strategic position to expand further into the GBA and APAC.”

Hashtag: #DeltaGlobal

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Delta Global

Delta Global was created to innovate and disrupt the status quo, to show that with clear design, thought and purpose, great things happen. In the continual journey to elevate luxury packaging, Delta Global has created four key pillars that are at the very heart of everything it does. From the design, texture, feel, and finish, each product exudes elevated luxury whilst positively contributing to the world.

Mission: To bring luxury, sustainability, and innovation together to excite the client’s customer experience in-store or online. Delta Global’s vision to merge luxury, sustainability and innovation in the form of environmentally friendly packaging solutions drives every strategic move and decision.

Vision: Envisaging a future where packaging is about more than just functionality. Packaging should be a reflection of both the brand and the quality of the product itself. Delta Global works tirelessly to turn that vision into a reality, ultimately creating less packaging for more clients.

Values: Delta Global is all about helping customers experience brands in a unique way. It partners with clients to deliver inclusive solutions that meet their responsibilities to the planet, with a touch of theatre along the way.

Travelers from Laos Report Long Departure Lines at Bangkok Airport

Long lines at Suvarnabhumi International Airport (Photo: Thomas Cristofoletti via Twitter)
Long lines at Suvarnabhumi International Airport (Photo: Thomas Cristofoletti via Twitter, 20 February)

Tempers flare at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport with travelers returning to Laos reporting long lines and delays.

Philippine fintech leader GCash joins plenary at Mobile World Congress

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach – 23 February 2023 – The Philippines #1 Fintech App GCash, operated by the Globe Group‘s Mynt, will join the plenary of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this month as its President and CEO Martha Sazon delivers a keynote speech on the evolving customer at the main stage of the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry.

Sazon is one of the keynote speakers at the MWC on “New Behavior for a New Reality,” a topic close to GCash’s story. GCash emerged as a crucial digital platform during the pandemic, allowing personal financial transactions online and enabling entrepreneurship despite movement restrictions.

Sazon will also speak at the “Fintech Summit: The Rise of Fintech Disruption” on how fintech is enabling the creation of powerful and disruptive solutions.

GCash is now a double unicorn valued at $2 billion with ~76 million users. It continues to expand financial services covering payments, cash transfers, credit, savings, wealth, insurance and investment products. It also features retail, food, wellness, travel, recreation and real estate services.

Meanwhile, Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu will banner the company’s pivot from telco to techco in a panel with Transcelestial, a company supported by the Globe Group’s Kickstart Ventures.

Cu will join CEOs of top Southeast Asian telcos in a discussion on new network-related technologies and connectivity challenges in the Philippines, among others.

“Our fintech company’s debut at the Mobile World Congress Barcelona is a crucial milestone for the Globe Group as we establish ourselves as a leading digital disruptor and enabler in the Philippines, and banner our evolution into a technology company. We are proud to showcase our achievements as we uplift the lives of Filipinos through digital solutions, and to be part of the global conversation on the future of technology and connectivity,” said Cu.

MWC Barcelona is the world’s largest mobile industry gathering, attracting thousands of exhibitors and visitors worldwide. Hosted by GSMA, a global organization unifying the mobile ecosystem, this year’s MWC will be held from February 27 to March 2, 2023.

With almost a hundred portfolio companies under its wing, the Globe Group has successfully expanded into the country’s leading digital solutions platform, with services in fintech, health tech, adtech, edutech, outsourcing and managed services, enterprise data, and investments.

For more information about the Globe Group, visit www.globe.com.ph.

Hashtag: #TheGlobeGroup

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.